National labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno condemned today the violent demolition of the urban poor community in Barangay Bignay, Valenzuela City and the illegal arrest of community and labor leader Ricardo Gagap this morning.

Gagap was arrested after 300 police forces from the Philippine National Police-Valenzuela and a demolition team entered his community and implemented a demolition order from the local government.

“We demand the immediate release of Ricardo Gagap. He has committed no crime. He and his fellow residents of Barangay Bignay have every right to defend their houses and livelihood from the injustice of being demolished,” Rogelio “Roger” Soluta, KMU secretary-general, said.

…

“Gagap has been fighting the Aquino government’s war against the Filipino workers and urban poor in favor of big capitalists. He has been opposing this government’s policy of throwing poor Filipinos out of their homes in order to give way to Public-Private Partnership projects,” Soluta said.

“Gagap’s arrest is a perfect example of this government’s subservience to big business at the expense of Filipino workers’ and urban poor’s rights and welfare,” he added.

KMU claimed that the Aquino administration has been waging a “war” against workers and the urban poor and that Aquino’s policies have trampled on labor rights and rights to decent livelihood and affordable housing.

“By escalating his war of subservience to big business, Aquino continues to aggravate the people’s disgust for his government and push them to fight for their rights,” Soluta said.

“Aquino can expect nothing less than bigger protests as workers and the urban poor become more determined to resist his pro-capitalists and anti-poor policies,” he warned.